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It’s Monday and man do I have a busy week ahead of me! Actually the next few weeks are going to be pretty crazy but I’ll definitely try to make some time and post a few fun projects I’ve been working on! Here’s one that will spruce up your living room and save you some money by doing- it- yourself!

Before:

Step One:Choose pillow

Head to your local fabric store and pick up a few pillows you want to use for this project. They come in several different sizes and are priced according to comfort. If you want to save some money like I did, you can use some throw pillows you already have.

Step Two:Select fabric

The fabric I used for my pillows was leftover from the DIY Door Panel Curtain which you can read about here:

It’s a cotton blend fabric which is super easy to wash and requires no ironing. The amount of fabric you need will depend on the size of the pillows you choose. Take the width of the pillow and add 1″. Then take the height of the pillow double it and add 6″.

Step Three:Measure & Cut

Lay the fabric down and measure it out. As listed above you will need the width of the pillow plus 1″ and the height of the pillow doubled plus 6″.

Step Four:Hem sides

Hem the shorter sides or width of the fabric. Lay down the fabric with the pattern side facing up. Place the pillow on top of the fabric and fold the hemmed sides towards each other. Continue folding the pillow with the fabric until it is tightly wrapped. The fabric will overlap each other which will create an opening to get the pillow in and out of.

Step Five:Pin

Once the pillow is tightly wrapped make sure the fabric matches up and pin it. You want an evenly matched line down the center of the pillow. This will end up being the back of the pillow, so don’t worry too much about getting the fabric to line up perfectly. Carefully slide out the pillow and continue pinning down the long side or length of the fabric. When pinning you will want to come in about a 1/2″ from the top and bottom.

Step Five:Sew

Sew a straight line where you have placed your pins, taking them out as you go. Once your done sewing both sides, flip the fabric inside out so that the pattern side is facing out. Stuff the pillow inside the cover and it’s ready to use!

It’s Thursday and the work week is almost over! I’ve got so many new projects I can’t wait to get started on this weekend, but here’s one of my favorite DIY home decor projects for you to try in the meantime. It’s one of my favorite because it involves one of my not so secret obsessions…glass bottles! Actually the other night Ryan and I were eating dinner and he said, “If someone who didn’t know us very well walked into our house they would assume we have a heavy drinking problem with all the empty bottles sitting around.” Alright so I admit that I do get a little carried away sometimes but I simply can’t help it! Anyway this project is also quick, easy, and totally versatile. So here’s how to make your very own…

Before:

Step One: Find

The bottle you choose can be anything from a simple beer bottle to a unique whiskey bottle like the one you see above. It all depends on preference.

Step Two: Clean

Soak the bottle in hot water and dish soap for about an hour. Using a washcloth remove any label or glue that’s still attached to the bottle and let it air dry.

Step Three: Decorate

Decide where you want to display the bottle and then draw inspiration from it. I used peacock feathers to fill my bottle because they tied in nicely with the teal pillows on the couch!

Whether furnishing a new house, or restoring one back to its original state, adding your personal touch is the difference in making a house a home. Anyone can buy stuff to put in their house, but when you devote the time and energy to building or refurbishing furniture or what have you, there is a sense of accomplishment and pride in knowing that nobody will ever have that exact same piece in their home. Not only will refurbishing help ease the pounding on the “pocket book”, but chances are it will bring you and your significant other close together.